Is There A Link Between Bugs And Diabetes?

What do diabetes and bugs have in common? According to a new study published in the journal mBio, diabetes could be caused by the bugs that live in and on our bodies. But wait that’s not all: It’s believed that the bacteria colonies (a fancy term for these bugs) are different on the bodies of obese people compared to those of non-obese people. Researchers believe these bugs play a role in metabolic changes and chronic inflammation – both of which can lead to diabetes in the long run.

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So, how did the group of microbiologists at the University of Iowa come to this conclusion? After exposing rabbits to staph bacteria – a bug that tends to be higher in obese people – for long periods of time, they ended up developing a few common symptoms of diabetes, such as insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and inflammation.